Booze Cruises to France/Belgium

[smifffy]

I thought you lot would be the right people to turn to for getting booze, so...

Mrs Smifffy and I are going to France on Saturday AM for a booze cruise but also a nice day out.

Last time we went to Calais we got some good price wines, but I'm told the Calais prices are rising so was wondering;

1) Are there any other towns in the area I should investigate (Arras or Lille perhaps)
2) Should I just drive out of town and find a hypermarché away from Calais?
3) Do I drive over into Belgium - Is the wine any cheaper there? (I know fags are cheaper there, but neither of us smoke!)

So then guys/girls - your thoughts?

[farmboy]

Have a day out of it and explore. Sorry cant name anywhere in particuar.

But if you don't smoke can you bring me 3kg of Golden Virginia from Belgium please.

[smifffy]

Sadly even in the P1 we can't explore the whole of the North East of France ina day, oh and Belgium too!

Really wanted to know if any knew of any towns or places we should go, and if Belgium is cheaper for acheter du vin!

[JMGS4]

smifffy said:
Sadly even in the P1 we can't explore the whole of the North East of France ina day, oh and Belgium too!
Really wanted to know if any knew of any towns or places we should go, and if Belgium is cheaper for acheter du vin!

Get onto the Mway down to Reims, have a great blat on the way, fill up with culture and booze there and have a blat back to the boat. Forget Lille apart from Moules/frites and a Tube system they've not really got anything worth while.... All IMHO!

[williamp]

Lille is a very pretty town this time of year (ignore the outskirts, the centre is lovely).

They have a huge ferris wheel, a merry-go-round and soime great shops.

It's only 1 hours drive from the Tunnel. I like to go there, have dinner then head back and catch a late ferry/train.

Most of the places in Calais (wine and beer co, etc) are open really late...

Generally, most of the towns on the north French cost are not that pretty...

[Guy Humpage]

The old town square in Arras is very pleasant, lots of bars and restaurants.

[Gargamel]

St omer - thats where i head to - about an hour from calais

old town - supermarket - nice

[mr_tony]

Calais to Belguim isn't far smiffy (in fact about 40 minutes), and it's a rather nice road. In fact on the way back from Folembray earlier this year I detoured into Belguim to pick up cheap cigarettes (all of course for my own consumption)...
Managed to hit 145mph on the way

>> Edited by mr_tony on Tuesday 17th December 15:50

[Simonelite501]

If you are buying cigarettes you need to go into Belgium as the tax is a lot less. Adinkirk,(dubious spelling but thats what it sounds like) is juswt over the border (about 30mins in a truck so maybe 45 in a Trev . Adinkirk has a canal runnig down one side of the road and ciarette and Tobacco shops on the other, in fact, it appears that it only exists to sell the british fags. The main Street is open ussual times, but there is an Eastenders behing an old filling station just outside the village which is open 24hrs. Have a great time. Simon.
Forgot to say that you follow the E40 towards ostend leave at either 36 or 37 and follow the signs. If all else fails find an Eniglish truck and ask directions.

>> Edited by Simonelite501 on Tuesday 17th December 17:46

[smifffy]

heh, Big article in the papers today about grannies going over to Belgium and coming back with 50,000 fags in their shopping wheelie trollies.

Customs officers are now targetting the "silver smugglers"